Solar Powered Trash Can Texts When Full (Video)

BigBelly Solar Trash Cans have been around for years - we wrote about them all the way back in 2005. They're waste bins that use solar power to run compactors so that they don't have to be emptied as often, making them perfect for areas like parks and beaches that are short on staff. But now, they've learned a new trick making them even easier to tend to in places short on maintenance staff. They can text sanitation crews to say they're full and ready for some attention. At $4,000 each, they're not cheap, but to a park in Lodi, California, they're worth it, especially when they get to use federal stimulus money. When they're full, they'll send a text to city hall saying they need to be emptied. The parks department says crews don't have to check trash cans as frequently, and they'll pay for themselves in 2 to 2.5 years in saved time and labor.

Textually writes that these trash cans can be found not just in Lodi, but also Santa Cruz, Boston and Philadelphia.

This is a handy trash can, though it isn't as fancy as some, which will come get your trash for you like the street-cleaning DustBot in Italy. This one even has a smiley face: